


Lost in Reverie

by Snowish



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Game)
Genre: Canon Divergence, GRIMM IS A DAD AND YOU CANNOT CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE, Worldbuilding, liberties taken with canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-27
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2019-12-18 15:17:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18252488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snowish/pseuds/Snowish
Summary: COVER ART: http://fav.me/dd370dtGrimmchildren are the spawn of Grimm, who facilitates the ritual in order to sustain the Nightmare's Heart. The protection of the Grimmchildren lie in the bearers of their charm, who must guide them to the flames safely.But what happens when a bearer fails to do so? What if a Grimmchild is believed to be dead? Does the ritual fail? Is all lost for the Grimm Troupe?No... There is always hope. They must merely hurry to find someplace else to hold the ritual. But that does not make the loss hurt any less.There's no time to even retrieve the body....There's no time to see if there even IS a body.--------------------SUP it's another fic focusing on an OC, why the hey not? Recently dropped into the Hollow Knight fandom, and this is what I'm producing because of it!I should also mention: This doesn't take place in Hallownest! It takes place in another large area called Reverie, which is more like a giant forest. I wonder what can be found there...?---Updates on weekdays, IRL stuff permitting





	1. A Ritual Failed

_ “Even this child was born into invisible chains. Mrmm.” _

 

__ \- Brumm _ _

 

__ \------------------- _ _

 

The cold air swept through the small town, making the ill-prepared shiver. They were all huddled around the square, cautiously watching their guests. 

What were they waiting for, the locals wondered?

“It’s been too long.” One such guest spoke, gripping his instrument in apprehension. He glanced to the tallest of the trio, but otherwise did not prompt him to speak.

“Ooooh, it couldn’t possibly have happened, could it? Such a sad, sad thing if it has...” The woman beside him breathed, though a faint smile was on her lips--It always was. Her claws reached up to touch her chin, or at least the half that wasn’t covered by her split mask.

The last guest, the tallest and calmest, remained silent. He stared off into the distance, past the town limits, and into the shadows of the dense greenery. It was as if he was watching something that nobody else could see.

And then, finally, he closed his eyes and bowed his head.

 

“It has, Divine.” He finally answered, voice soft and fragile. “It is a rare occurrence, but its scarcity is not valued. No, it is downright feared… The bearer has fallen, and the Grimmchild along with them.”

Gasps erupted from the townsfolk, none of them prepared for the news. The one who had been sent on this quest, to help perform this ritual--They had been their finest warrior. How could they have perished?

“Wh-what do you mean, they’ve fallen?” The mayor of the town, a squat beetle with a red carapace, asked as he hobbled over to the group.

Grim looked to him for a moment, his normally serene expression now giving way to exhaustion and sorrow.

“They found a cave, but it was unstable. Our scarlet eyes see no possibility of surviving the accident.”

And without another word, he turned and strode off towards the tents on the other side of the town. His companions did not follow, only giving sympathetic looks in his direction.

 

“What does… How does this affect the ritual?” The mayor then pressed, directing his attention to Brumm.

“Mmm. We cannot continue it here. Too much energy has already been expended. We’ll try somewhere else. We’re sorry for your loss, mmm.”

Several locals began to talk hurriedly amongst themselves, still not believing their ears. So that was it? Nothing more? The troupe hadn’t even explained what the ritual was for, and now they were going to abandon it?

“A shame, such a shame.” Divine cooed to herself, now starting to shuffle off to her own tent. “I would have liked to stay here a while longer…”

Brumm stared after her, still clenching his instrument. It had been many years since the last time this had happened… He wasn’t sure if it was easier this time around. He had mixed feelings about the ritual to begin with, but…

Ignoring the pressing questions and desperate cries from the locals, he began to stomp his way back to the tents. He would need to speak with Grimm, after all. It was not a good idea to leave that man alone when he was feeling down.

Upon reaching the door of the larger of the two tents, he hesitated. He did not know for sure what state the troupe leader would be in. 

Angry? He had experience with handling that, but with Grimm, anger was definitely a dangerous thing.

Sad? Perhaps that would be easier to quell, without risking his skin, but… Brumm had never actually seen the leader anything more than morose. What would he do if that were the case?

And what if it was neither? What did that mean?

 

…

 

There was no point in fretting over those things. He just needed to get things over with.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the tent.

The hallways, though normally dim, seemed even darker than usual. No faint candles could be seen anywhere, and no Grimmkin floated about to provide their own luminescence. 

Not wanting to get shaken up already, Brumm continued forward, his footsteps landing softly on the ground. Their lack of echo seemed all the more suffocating, but he pressed on.

Finally, after what seemed like several minutes of walking, he came to the main room of the tent. Normally, there would be a few lights lit, providing view of the entire floor and the seats where the Grimmkin would watch various performances. But just like the hallways before it, it was unnaturally dim.

 

“I need some time alone, Brumm.” Spoke Grimm’s voice, sounding distant and brittle.

Brumm instead took a few more steps forward, his eyes adjusting to the darkness, finding his master standing in the shadows. His back was to Brumm, and though his still stood up straight, his head hung unusually low.

“I think being alone is the last thing you need. What happened… It complicates things, mmm.”

“Of course it does. Without the Grimmchild or the bearer, we cannot complete the ritual. But not enough flames remain in this place for the Grimmkin to work with.” Grimm replied, almost mechanically.

“Then we must go someplace else. Have you heard from any acolytes?” 

“Yes. I know we are pressed for time, and the Heart, it... “

Grimm let out a sigh, now finally turning to face Brumm. His exhaustion was apparent in his eyes. Was this because of their failure, or something else, Brumm wondered?

“The Grimmchild is  _ still  _ my child, though.” The leader finally whispered, closing his bright red eyes. “I am proud to part with those that have taken in their share of the flames, but to have them…”

He trailed off, opening his eyes to look to Brumm again. His expression was broken and needy, things he never expressed unless at the absolute end of his rope. This apparently disturbed him more than Brumm had expected. 

But they couldn’t dwell on it. They had to stay focused.

 

“I am aware you would like to mourn, sir… But it is vital we keep moving, otherwise the Heart will lose power.”

Brumm felt a twinge of disappointment in himself as he spoke those words. He had never really wanted to aid the Nightmare’s Heart, but he had no other choice. At least he still had free will, he supposed. He had read stories of similar beings keeping their subordinates in control through their powers. 

But he wondered if that free will was becoming too much of an obstacle for Grimm right now. If he couldn’t get over the despair of losing the child, they couldn’t pick things up again and keep the Heart sustained.

“I will see if any distant torches have been lit.” Grimm finally said flatly. “I will let you and Divine know when it is time to go. Until then… Please leave me alone.”

Brumm gave a respectful nod, deciding to be satisfied with that answer. He turned and went out the way he had come, leaving Grimm alone in the dark tent once more.

“My child, please forgive us…” Grimm whispered to the open air. “Though our eyes kept watch, they could not predict what happened. Your flames may be snuffed, but they burned oh-so-bright when they were still flickering…”

  
  


* * *

 

“This looks like a good spot to rest, hm?”

“...”

“You certainly aren’t the chatty type, are you? You haven’t even told me if you have a name!”

“...”

“What if I gave you one? Would you like that?”

“...”

“I’m gonna take that as a yes. I dunno what you think, but you look like a ‘Hilda’ to me. So I’m gonna call you Hilda from now on!”

“...”

“Aw, at least tell me if you like it or not! You really just wanna get those flames, huh? Well, don’t worry about it! As long as you’re with me, it’ll be a piece of cake! But for now, we should rest. Reverie is a beautiful place, but it’s full of dangerous creatures!”

“...”

“We only need a few more flames to finish the ritual. They’re deep in the forest, but I’m not the champion of Reverie for nothing! We’ll have it--Huh? What’s that noise?”

“...”

“Well, obviously not you, but--”

 

_ RUMBLE… _

 

“Hilda… I think we should get out of--!”

 

* * *

 

Scarlet eyes opened to the darkness, unsure what to make of it. They needed little time to adjust, but it’s not like there was a lot to see in the first place.

A stone chamber, cramped and dusty. A pile of rocks to their left, faint beams of light poking through the top, and a pool of blood seeping out the bottom.

_ Blood…? _

They attempted to push themself up, only to find their wings pinned by more rocks. Their attempts to pull out from under them were met with pain, forcing them to stop. 

What had even happened…? Their head spun, and their memories were fuzzy… 

They had something they needed to do. They couldn’t just sit around here, pinned by rocks or not. Where was their guide, the one who was helping them find the flames? Surely they--

_ Oh. _

The eyes shifted back to the blood. It was already dark and coagulated, indicating it had been here for a while. How long had they been unconscious?

However long it had been, their guide had bled out in that time. There was no way they could safely find the other flames now.

 

They had failed to complete the ritual…

 

What did this mean for them? What do they do now? Should they go back to Grimm? Or should they accept their fate and waste away in this cave?

No. No they couldn’t--They had to try and fix things. They wouldn’t let themself sit here and wallow in defeat. They could finish this! Their father--No, _Grimm_ \--wouldn’t have to worry about the state of the Heart.

But… These rocks were heavier than they were. There was no way they would be able to escape without causing serious damage to their wings.

…

If that was the price they had to pay, then so be it.

A flurry of struggling. The horrific sound of tearing material. A painful screech followed by desperate clambering up the rock pile, squirming out of the small opening and out into the open.

The bright sun flooded their vision, but it would not deter them. They had a journey to finish. They were going to find the other flames, all for the sake of Grimm.

If they couldn’t… 

 

Then they were a sorry excuse for a Grimmchild.


	2. Vruusha's Sanctum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now we get a clearer look into the thoughts of the Grimmchild, so we'll actually be using she/her pronouns from here on out!
> 
> Time for some tasty worldbuilding, yo.

_ Sing praises to the Heads of the Forest, who guard our world and keep it safe. _

_ Sing praises to the Heads of the Forest, who provide us with all we need. _

_ Praise be to Vruusha, the Beast Mother. Birthing life in Reverie, she sees us as her children, and protects us as such. _

_ Praise be to Vruusha, who keeps us unified and harmonious within this land. _

_ Reverie is whole, Reverie is one. _

_ The peace of Reverie should never be broken. _

_ \-- Old Reverie prayer verses _

__

* * *

__

Lush green expanses met the child’s eyes as she carefully made her way out of the cavern. The air was warm and comforting, unlike the flat sense of emptiness back in the darkness.

She was beginning to recall bits of the area. The bearer--Soja, as she had been named--had brought her through some paths while they had searched for a few of the flames. They never went too deep into the forest, but the Grimmchild at least knew where she was.

The pain at the edges of her ripped wings screamed for attention, but she kept her mouth shut and didn’t bother looking. So she couldn’t fly now. That was just part of the price she would have to pay for what happened.

Speaking of which… She had options.

She could push onwards, looking for the last few flames. Whether or not the Grimmkin would be guarding them was another story, but she could still sense them further in the greenery.

But… She could also head back to the town where the troupe would be waiting. It wasn’t too far from here. Maybe they would know what to do.

She wasn’t sure if that was a good idea, though. With her wings torn, she was a larger liability. Would it even be worth meeting up with them again? She had essentially compromised the ritual by not insisting she and Soja keep moving.

The town would definitely be the easier of the two. Further in there were unknown obstacles. Soja had insisted Reverie was a place of peace, of course, but even then… The Grimmchild’s movement was severely restricted now, making travel an exhausting task.

She took a moment to consider her options as she stared around the clearing. Despite the thick shrubs on all sides, faint beams of sunlight drifted down from above, making it easy to see what was there. She faintly wondered why that was, given the plants towered far past her limit of vision.

As she lifted her head, a faint smell caught her attention. She turned to see a clump of purple. Flowers, she immediately remembered. When first arriving here, she had no idea was the strange blooms were, but Soja had told her the plants were prized for their beauty and scent.

The smell was actually very comforting, and a welcome change from the metallic tinge that remained from Soja’s blood. Deciding she could think on things more in a minute, the Grimmchild dragged her way over to the flowers.

The petals were beautiful--A pale purple that faded slightly into a darker tinge at the edge. The Grimmchild had never really seen anything like it. She hadn’t focused much on the plant life while traveling with Soja. She had been too focused on the ritual.

And she should remain focused, she scolded herself when she realized her thoughts were starting to drift. 

She allowed herself one last sniff before--

 

**_Crack._ **

Her head snapped in the direction of the noise, red eyes wide and piercing. Just what had made that sound?

But there was nothing to be found… That couldn’t have been possible. The sound was too loud… Too close. There wouldn’t have been time for anything to run off without her noticing. So what…?

She steeled her nerves and pulled herself forward, now squinting about the general area. There wasn’t any sign of disturbance on the ground--What did it mean?

Another cautious pull toward the noise. Something in the back of her mind was telling her this wasn’t a good idea, that she should ignore the distraction and just set to work, but she was too focused on this issue now.

Then, as she chanced one more pull--It appeared.

Shimmering into view, towering over her, was a creature the Grimmchild had never seen before. 

Its scaled form was mottled with greens and blues. A long tail curled around its body and lashed slowly. Its two eyes, round and jutting from its body, fixed themselves on the Grimmchild. Three horns sprouted from its face. A large jaw opened up wide, revealing a bright pink tongue that--

_ SPLAT!  _ The tongue had lashed out to try and grab the Grimmchild, but she managed to leap out of the way just in time. The strange creature retracted its tongue, letting out a growl as all it managed to pick up was dirt and leaf litter. 

She knew she had no way of fighting against this. She was too small, and this thing could very easily finish it all in one attack. Her only option was to run.

So much for Soja promising that this place was peaceful.

She turned and began to scamper away to the best of her ability. This would have been so much easier if she could fly. All she could do now was leap forward every few seconds, desperate to stay out of range of that creature’s long tongue.

The creature gave a mighty bellow as it tromped after her, not wanting to miss out on its meal. Plants rustled and bent to give way to it as it chased the Grimmchild, leaving destruction in its wake. 

The Grimmchild knew she was outmatched. She was fast, but still tired from her earlier ordeal. Her wings were hurting even more now from the exertion. The creature likely had her scent, too, so if she were to hide, it would possibly find her and--

Wait, that gave her an idea. It would just require--There!

Luckily enough, they were starting to charge towards a new arrangement of flowers, this one bright red. The Grimmchild could smell them from here, so hopefully they would mask her scent. All she needed to do was hide herself within them. 

She feinted in one direction, relieved to hear the beast charge off. It wouldn’t be tricked for long, though. She needed to hide NOW.

And with that, she urged herself to sprint the remaining distance, diving head-first into the clump of flowers.

That was a mistake.

Turns out the flowers’ stems were covered in thorns. Though the Grimmchild had managed to dive into the thick of the bush, the thorns ripped at her wings and body, making new pain flare up. She didn’t dare cry out, however, lest she alert the creature of her location. All she could do was bite through the pain and cry in silence.

Sure enough, the creature was not so easily tricked by her earlier distraction. It made its way back to the area where she was hiding, sniffing around for her scent. As the Grimmchild watched, it circled slowly about before directing its snout towards the bush.

Closer and closer it moved, snuffling before stopping right in front of the flowers. The Grimmchild could smell its breath as it exhaled into the petals, but still she remained quiet. She simply had to wait.

What if it knew she was in there? What if it didn’t care about the thorns and snap its jaws in anyway? She supposed it was a better fate than having to face the disappointment of the troupe, but…

 

“HEY! GET OUTTA HERE, YOU SCALY MEANIE!”

A squeaky voice interrupted her train of thought, making her blink in surprise. The creature flinched as well, turning away from the flowers and towards the source of the voice. Whatever it saw, it didn’t like, because it gave a loud growl.

“Oh yeah? Well, we’ll show you! C’mon, guys! Let’s give ‘em the Acorn Avalanche!”

There was the sound of something hitting the creature in the face, to which it roared, preparing to pounce, only to be hit again. The speed of the projectiles picked up, until it sounded like a heavy rainfall was striking the creature.

The Grimmchild couldn’t see much from her position, not to mention her eyes were blurry with tears. Just what was going on? Who was that that had spoken?

With another roar, the creature started to back away, snapping its jaws. Finally, it turned completely around and ran off, screeching as it went. 

Silence filled the air. The Grimmchild wondered if she should dare try and slip out of the bush, regardless of the thorns. Whatever had attacked the creature didn’t seem to be around now, so perhaps it was safe again, and she could--

“Hello?”

The Grimmchild let out a screech as a figure appeared in the small hole she had been staring through. She attempted to scramble away, momentarily forgetting about the thorns and crying out again as more pain ripped through her body.

“Woah, woah! We’re not gonna hurt you. Please, stay still! You’ll just hurt yourself more!”

The Grimmchild didn’t listen. She was already too scared and hurt. She had lost use of her wings, lost her guide, failed her master, and been chased by a creature wanting to eat her. She had had enough. She continued to struggle, ignoring the further rips and tears she was giving herself.

“Oh, geez… Quip, Quark! C’mon, we’d better get her outta there quickly!” The figure said.

Something grabbed at the Grimmchild, keeping her still no matter how much she thrashed. She could faintly tell that it was soft and furry, but aside from that she didn’t know what it was. 

Then it pulled her. Gently, so as not to catch her on any more thorns, it pulled her out of the bush of flowers and back into the light. The Grimmchild still squirmed, attempting to break free so she could run off, but whoever had her had a strong grip.

“Must be scared out of her wits.” The original voice said.

“I’d be too if I had a big ol’ Meaneon chasing after me!” A second one spoke up, still squeaky but slightly deeper.

“She’s all banged up, too. I don’t think just the thorns and Meaneon did this.” A third one, belonging to whoever was holding her, mumbled.

“What should we do, then?” First Voice asked.

“Mom doesn’t want us taking any bugs back home… She says it’s something called ‘kidnapping.’ But I’ve never seen a bug like this before, either. I don’t think she’s from around here.” Second Voice replied.

“Then Vruusha it is!” First Voice squeaked happily.

“Wait, Vruusha? Are you sure? She’s nice and all, but we shouldn’t rely on her for everything…” Said Third Voice.

“Aw, c’mon, Quark! It’ll be okay! Besides, everyone’s gotta meet her at least once!”

 

At this point, the Grimmchild had relaxed, realizing she wasn’t about to be harmed. She didn’t entirely trust the sound of this ‘Vruusha’ character, but if she could help…

She blinked the fresh tears from her eyes and glanced about. 

The spot where she had been hiding was now littered with strange objects, each a shiny brown with some sort of cap on them. The voice had referred to ‘acorns,’ so could this be what they were.

Deciding not to dwell on it, she turned to the group, taking in who had helped her once her vision had settled. 

Each figure, including the one holding her, was large and covered with thin brown fur. They sat on their haunches, arms close to their chests, and long bushy tails stuck out from their rears. Large brown eyes were focused on her, which made her uneasy, but their demeanor seemed genuine…

“Hey, you doing alright now?” The creature to the left, apparently First Voice, asked. 

The Grimmchild, not really sure what to say, gave a small nod. The pain was still there, but now that she was out of the thorns, it had lessened significantly.

“That’s good.” They replied. “I’m Quinn! This is my sibling Quip, and the one holding you is my brother Quark!”

She pointed to the creature beside her and then to the one who still kept a gentle grip on the Grimmchild. When she smiled, the Grimmchild could see a pair of long teeth--fangs, perhaps? No… Too flat.

“Do you have a name?” Quip asked, tilting his head.

A name? Why would she have one of those? Grimmchildren did not need names. Not during the ritual, at least. Only one of them was present at a time, so names were not necessary. If the bearer wished for them to have a name after everything, then so be it, but…

Wait…

“H… Hil… Hilda.” She managed, her voice weak. All that screeching did not do her throat any good, but she managed to say it. The name Soja had given her before she died.

“Hilda, huh? That’s a pretty good one! Well, we were going to take you to the Beast Mother, Vruusha, to see to your wounds--If you’re okay with that, at least…” Quinn said.

“Vruusha? Beast Mother?”

“Yeah! She’s the one who watches out for all living beings in Reverie, but she likes the bugs in particular, so she’ll know what to do with you!”

That was still not making any sense to Hilda. She stared at Quinn, her red eyes blinking flatly.

“I think you were right about her not being from around here…” Quinn mumbled to Quip. She then turned back to Hilda. “It would be better if we just take you there. Vruusha can explain better than we can!”

And with that, the three set off.

* * *

 

The trip was an interesting one, to say the least. Quinn and Quip hurried ahead, ducking in and out of the bushes, scrambling over roots and up tree trunks in order to scout the path ahead for danger. Quark hobbled behind at a slower pace, Hilda now clinging to his back.

As they walked, the siblings explained a bit more about themselves

For starters, they were creatures known as ‘squirrels,’ which were adept climbers with big bushy tails. The three of them were still young, meaning they had a lot of growing to do, but they were already avid explorers of the place around their home. 

Reverie was home to all sorts of animals other than bugs. There were mammals, such as squirrels, that had fur. There were also birds, which had the ability to fly like some bugs, but they were covered in a material known as ‘feathers.’

“Don’t get us started on the reptiles, though.” Quinn spat as she paused in her scurrying. “They’re nasty scaly dudes who eat whatever they please and try to claim the forest as their own! The one you ran into, the Meaneon? One of the worst there is, with their ability to turn invisible!”

Oh dear. That definitely didn’t sound good, Hilda couldn’t help but think.

“The reptiles eat bugs, birds, AND mammals, too.” Quip added in. “They’re the biggest threat here!”

“You both realize Vruusha is technically a reptile, too?” Quark asked, now stopping as well.

The other two glanced between each other before chuckling, giving Quark an apologetic look.

“Yeah, but she’s so nice it’s like she isn’t even one! But c’mon, we’d better hurry before it gets dark!” Quinn insisted.

 

As they moved on, the lights in the forest began to dim. It wasn’t dark to the point they couldn’t see, but the siblings were definitely getting a bit anxious. 

“This is it. Vruusha’s sanctum.”

The group now stood in what appeared to be a small antechamber. Unlike the rest of the forest, this area had very little plant life, with only a few scraps of strange red moss poking here and there on the stone floor.

Hilda knew enough about Reverie to know architecture like this was not common. Rather than make their own homes, denizens preferred to make use of what was already there, resting in caves and hollows.

This place must have been very special, then.

“You’ll have to go in on your own.” Quinn finally whispered. “It’s getting late, so we want to head back home before it gets dark.”

Hilda gave a nod before hopping down off of Quark’s back. The three siblings bid her farewell before hurrying off the way they had come, leaving the Grimmchild all alone in the small room.

She stared at the opposite wall, were a curtain of dried brown leaves hung. Past there was no doubt the chamber that held this ‘Vruusha’ individual… But Hilda hesitated. She had no idea what to expect, expect that Vruusha was apparently some reptile like the one that had attacked her earlier.

What would she do if Vruusha decided to be hostile as well? She wondered if it would have been better for her to perish back in the cave, just so her eventual death at the hands of some creature in this forest wouldn’t be so drawn out.

But she shook her head to clear her thoughts, and began to pull herself forward.

She could do this. She could face this ‘Vruusha’ and ask her for help. She  _ would _ .

So she slipped through the curtain.

 

The sight was definitely not what she had expected. While the antechamber had been almost bare stone, this large cavern was covered with a variety of red and orange moss, both on the ground and high up on the walls.

The moss seemed to glimmer and sparkle in the faint light that was still shining, though the source was a large hole in the ceiling. A few other holes could be seen near the tops of the walls nearby, but they provided no light. Were they some forms of passageways?

But the sight that made Hilda stop was the figure in the center of the room.

Nestled in a large pile of bright orange leaves was a massive beast. Its form was long and rope-like, covered in rich red scales that faintly shone in the light. Its head was slightly tapered, and blunt spikes erupted from its forehead.

When Hilda dared to shuffled a bit further into the room, the figure stirred. Its eyes--four of them--opened, revealing rich yellow that seemed to probe into Hilda’s very being. The creature began to raise its head, stretching to its full height and absolutely towering over the small Grimmchild.

With a glance, Hilda could see this wasn’t even the full length of the creature. The rest of its body vanished down some deep hole in the middle of the floor. A chill went through Hilda as she tried not to think too much about just how big this being was.

The creature looked down at Hilda before lowering itself to a more acceptable height. It then gave a gentle smile before speaking.

“Greetings, Little Ember. I am Vruusha, the Beast Mother.”


	3. A Nightmare Eulogy

_ Dear child, you've done so well. Let your fire burn even brighter! _

 

_ \-- Grimm _

* * *

 

Hilda found herself frozen, eyes wide with shock. The squirrel siblings had been big. The Meaneon had been even bigger.

Vruusha was colossal. Hilda had no problem believing that if Vruusha so desired, she could merely sniff her up through her nose. The Beast Mother’s smallest fangs were more than twice Hilda’s size.

It was no surprise that Hilda couldn’t find anything to say. She was simply too stunned by the size of Vruusha.

“Oh dear… I apologize. My stature must be overwhelming for one of your size.” Vruusha said, bowing her head apologetically. “May I ask your name, little one?”

“Hilda.” Hilda replied, though it was little more than a squeak.

“Hilda… A lovely name. Quite fitting for a Little Ember like you. And what happened to you, Hilda?”

Hilda tilted her head. There Vruusha went, calling her ‘Little Ember’ again. What did that mean? Was she aware of her quest to find the remaining flames?

“I was pinned under rocks. And then threw myself into thorns.” Hilda answered, now finding more strength to speak. “Some squirrels found me and said you could help…”

“You must be referring to Quinn and her siblings.” Vruusha hummed before chuckling, her large voice echoing faintly in the space. “They cause trouble now and then, but their hearts are good. They are correct, saying I can help.”

Vruusha then leaned down further, almost pressing the end of her snout into Hilda. Hilda wanted to back away, but she was still transfixed by just how big Vruusha was. Hilda could see herself reflected in the gloss of the creature’s eyes, finally taking in just how damaged she was.

Cuts and scrapes covered her body, no doubt from the thorns. Dirt was caked on her face. Her wings were ripped at the edges, some tears going the full length of the membrane, and several jagged holes were scattered across it.

She looked pitiful.

“Hmmm, you’ve been through quite a lot, my dear.” Vruusha finally sighed, pulling back. “But I think we can clean you up and fix the worst of your wounds. I’m not a Head of the Forest for nothing, after all. It will only be one moment, so wait here.”

Hilda watched as Vruusha began to rise up even further. The Beast Mother pulled herself up to the top of the cavern, near the various holes in the rock, before vanishing into one.

If Hilda was amazed by the sheer size of Vruusha, her length was something to behold. Her scaly body kept moving deep into the tunnel above, and as Hilda glanced back at the ground, she could now see that Vruusha was in another tunnel. This one’s entrance was covered by the pile of leaves Vruusha had been resting on, but more and more of the Beast Mother came sliding up.

Just how long  _ was _ she?

 

As she waited for Vruusha to return, Hilda decided to think on things a bit. Something that Vruusha had said stuck out, and Hilda wondered if it had any connection to what Soja had told her.

Vruusha had called herself a ‘Head of the Forest.’ Soja had mentioned something like that before, saying they were the ones who created and looked after Reverie. Soja also didn’t go into much detail about them, but what she had said made Hilda curious.

Were these ‘Heads of the Forest’ in any way higher beings, like the Nightmare’s Heart? 

If they had created this forest, surely they must be. Especially for their size… Not to mention, if they were all like Vruusha…

They were actually quite similar to Wyrms.

Hilda herself didn’t know a lot about Wyrms. Being created only shortly before the ritual, she wasn’t the most knowledgeable. 

Grimmchildren were born with two main facets of knowledge: Whatever they needed to know to complete the ritual, and a few vague snippets of information from the mind of Grimm himself. Hilda had been born knowing the word ‘Wyrm,’ as well as a vague description… But aside from that, she was lost on the subject.

But… If Vruusha was, in fact, a higher being… Perhaps she would know.

“Here we are, I think these will help.” 

As if on cue, Vruusha pulled herself back into the chamber. A bundle was gripped in her mouth, and as she lowered herself to a more appropriate height, she set it on the ground next to her bed of leaves.

“Water from Sorrow Pool to clean you up… Some medicine from a district over to help your wounds heal… And I wasn’t sure if you were a carnivore or an herbivore, so I got some different things to eat and you can just… Take what you like.”

Vruusha carefully unwrapped the bundle, revealing its contents. Each item was still much bigger than Hilda, but she decided not to say anything. Vruusha was helping, after all.

A clear vial full of shining blue liquid was what caught Hilda’s eye first. What kind of a name was Sorrow Pool? And why was its water so luminous? 

“When I asked for help, my brother and sister were more than glad to provide some things.” Vruusha said with a smile. “Zinn-Zinn’s lakes provide the cleanest water, and Palim’s crops are the best in Reverie.”

With that, she removed the stopper to the vial and took it carefully in her jaws, head twisted so it wouldn’t spill over.

“Brace yourself, Little Ember. It might be cold.”

Hilda did not actually have time to brace herself. As soon as Vruusha spoke, she poured the vial over Hilda, sending a rush of freezing water over her. Hilda winced and spluttered, already shivering from the shock.

“Oh dear, I’m sorry.” 

But Hilda merely shrugged it off. It was to help clean her, so she could manage. She rubbed at the areas where dirt had caked, the water helping it wash away smoothly. It didn’t take long for all the debris to clear away, leaving Hilda a slightly damp and shivering little Grimmchild.

Lacking the hands to do so, Vruusha went on to instruct Hilda how to use the medicine for her wounds. It briefly strung upon application, but after a few seconds the aches that had been bothering her this whole time started to fade. 

It helped her relax a bit, not having to ignore the pain.

Finally, she merely found herself staring at the food Vruusha had brought, not sure what to make of it. There were chunks of some fresh-cut fruit, a few deep green leaves, some sour-smelling roots… But there was also a few chunks of some still-bleeding meat that Hilda didn’t recognize. 

“Are you not hungry?” Vruusha asked softly, noticing Hilda’s inaction. 

After a moment, Hilda shook her head. She wasn’t hungry at all. Grimmchildren did not need food to begin with, but even so… The smell of the blood was reminding her too much of Soja’s fate. She wanted it gone.

“Well, alright then. In that case… You should rest.”

“But,” Hilda protested, now turning back to Vruusha. “I have questions. And I need guidance. I need to find the other flames.”

 

For the first time since Hilda’s arrival, Vruusha frowned. It wasn’t an angry frown by any means, but Hilda still wondered if she had said the wrong thing.

“So you’re involved with that silly little ritual, then.” She said in a disapproving tone. “I can’t say I’m surprised, but I’m also not a fan.”

Hilda tilted her head to the side. What did Vruusha mean by that?

“Reverie is a forest, Little Ember.” Vruusha continued, starting to fold up the bundle of supplies. “We do not allow fires of any sort, otherwise they endanger the whole land. The inhabitants know well enough not to break this rule, but then those strangers had to come along…”

“Master Grimm and his troupe.” Hilda said. “You know of them?”

“I have eyes and ears throughout the forest. I hear everything eventually.” Was Vruusha’s reply. “They assured me the fires were not of the normal sort, and there was no risk to Reverie… But I’m allowed to have my worries, don’t you agree?”

Hilda supposed she had a point. True, the flames wouldn’t actually burn anything, but they still very much looked like real fire…

“In any case, we can discuss this after you have had some rest. Come, now.”

Vruusha had pushed a small portion of the leaves around her off to the side, in order to make a small bed for Hilda. She gestured her head for Hilda to move over and rest.

“I’m not tired.” Hilda insisted. She still wanted to speak with Vruusha, to learn more about this place and possibly the exact locations of the flames.

But Vruusha merely shook her head.

“You may think that, but it’s best you sleep for now… I promise we will talk more when you wake.”

The Beast Mother then lightly pushed Hilda into the bed of leaves. Hilda figured there was no use in struggling, so she settled down and curled up, trying her best to relax.

A lot had happened today… A lot more than she had ever expected to experience. Chased by a lizard, meeting a leader of the forest… All she wanted to do was find the other flames and make her way back to Grimm…

But as she thought on things, trying to figure out the best way to ask Vruusha what to do, her eyes began to get heavy. Perhaps she was more tired than she had thought.

With the Beast Mother watching carefully over her, Hilda’s eyes closed.

 

 

* * *

 

 

When Hilda opened her eyes, she was not in Vruusha’s sanctum. This area was too dark, too ominous…

The floor was soft, and looking down at it, Hilda could see it was stitched together from a variety of different fabrics. The patches varied in size and texture, but that was enough detail to tell her where she was.

Looking up, her thoughts were confirmed.

Hanging high above, its many eyes closed, was the Nightmare Heart. Source of power for Grimm and the very thing that holds the realm of nightmares together. A faint red haze emanated from it, and she could hear it beat softly.

Did that mean this was a nightmare?

Hilda did her best not to panic. This could mean several things, none of which sat well with her. She normally didn’t enter the world of nightmares, even in her sleep. Did the Nightmare Heart bring her in here? Did she somehow manage to access it while resting in Vruusha’s sanctum? How would she get out, then?

She tried to think of a reasonable explanation, but the heavy air combined with the faint beating of the Heart distracted her. She couldn’t focus.

Hilda closed her eyes tight, trying to slow her panicked breathing and shift her thoughts back to--

“A final farewell, then? You work in the strangest of ways…”

 

That voice. Hilda couldn’t believe she was hearing it again. It was quiet, and oh-so full of pain, but when she heard it, it felt like her own wounds didn’t exist anymore. 

Standing on the other side of the room was Grimm. He looked… Different. His eyes were half-closed, and his normally composed posture was replaced by a defeated stoop. The trails of his cloak hung limply, some even brushing against the ground--Not that Grimm cared.

“Of course you would find the final flicker of her soul.” He sighed with a glance up to the Heart, as if it could hold a conversation. “Can’t have me continue on in this state, can you?”

Grimm then stepped toward Hilda, who remained still as she continued to stare at him. It honestly scared her to see him like this, in such a ragged state. The Grimm she knew was dignified and confident. Right now, he just looked… Defeated.

Not to mention his words. 

‘Final farewell?’ 

‘Flicker of her soul?’

… 

So he thought she was dead after all, then.

Once Grimm at reached Hilda, he bent down and carefully scooped her up, being as gentle as he could with her. His eyes passed over her body, and he let out a soft sigh.

“Such a state for you to be in… Wings torn to bits… I wish I could soothe myself by saying it was a noble end, but… There’s nothing noble about a cave-in, is there?”

Hilda wanted to speak, but something was stopping her. Was it the gentle way that Grimm held her? The fact her apparent death had shaken him so much? Maybe it was her confusion about this entire scenario?

Unable to decide on an answer, she remained silent, instead just leaning her head against his shoulder. For the first time since waking up in that cave, she actually felt safe. Not even Vruusha’s doting made her feel this way. Probably because Grimm was more or less her father.

Grimm continued to cradle Hilda, now slowly walking around the area and speaking. His voice was still soft, but it seemed to recover some strength as he moved.

“What are your thoughts now that the curtains have closed, I wonder? Are you scared? Ashamed? You must think I’m disappointed…”

He was sort of right… Hilda should have taken some initiative and kept pressing to continue the ritual. If she hadn’t let Soja stop in the cave and rest, then…

“But I’m not.” He murmured, brushing a thumb gently against her chin. “I’m still very proud. I’m proud of all my children, because they try their best. If they don’t succeed… Then it simply hurts to have lost them.”

He stopped in his tracks, now staring at the empty space in front of them. He looked like he wanted to continue speaking, but couldn’t find the words.

So… He wasn’t upset at her? She didn’t have to worry about it? 

Then… She should probably come clean and--

“I’m sorry we didn’t go back for you.” Grimm said, his voice now shaking. He let out a sniffle, which surprised Hilda. Grimm was crying?

Sure enough, tears were starting to form in his eyes. They were a faint shade of red, which would have been odd for most, but given this was Grim…

Eventually, he started letting out small sobs, clutching Hilda even tighter--Not enough to hurt, but almost like he didn’t want to let her go. Like he didn’t want to lose her a second time.

“I would have like-liked to, but… We need-need to hurry and fin-finish the ritual.” He was blubbering, eyes clenched shut as more tears came. “Plea-Please know that-that we didn’t le-leave you be-behind because we-we-we are dis-disa--”

He couldn’t even finished his sentence, and now fell to his knees. Letting the Grimmchildren go and stay with their bearers was one thing, but actually having them die… It hurt him more than Hilda had expected.

She didn’t like this. She had to stop his crying. If she told him, everything would be alright, and they could fix things! She was sure of it.

Hilda shifted a bit in his arms before carefully brushing the side of his face with a wing. Grimm took a second to try and steady himself, breathing slowly, before opening his eyes to look at her.

“Apologies…” He said between a few more sniffles. “I have taken up the whole stage with this piteous performance. Is there anything you would like to say before you move on, little one?”

Well, this was it...

“I’m… Not dead.” Hilda replied, staring straight at him.

 

Several moments of stunned silence passed between the two. Grimm’s eyes went wide, and he seemed frozen in place at this revelation. Hilda remained where she was, not sure what else to add onto it.

“You’re… Not…”

Grimm's voice was suddenly hoarse, and he shakily brought himself back to his feet, still holding Hilda. 

“But.. I saw… The rocks…”

Hilda held up her wings with a slight shrug.

“Only Soja died. I didn’t get out unscathed, but… I’m still in Reverie. I can still find the remaining flames.”

“Then… Then we must hurry back.” Grimm said, placing Hilda back down on the ground. She was a tad disappointed, having wanted to spend a bit more time in his arms, but as he began to pace about, she thought better of it.

“I must tell Brumm and Divine when I wake. We’re only a day out, we can turn around and hurry back. We can find someone else to guide you to the flames, and the ritual--”

His rambling was interrupted by a loud thump and a bright red light flooding the room. Grimm and Hilda looked up to see the Nightmare Heart’s eyes were now open, glowing brightly as its heartbeats increased in volume.

“What…? But, it would take no time at all. Very few flames are left, and--” Grimm began, but the light increased in intensity, making him flinch back for a moment.

Hilda had no idea what was going on, but apparently Grimm was communicating with the Heart somehow. What was it telling him?

“Y-Yes… I see now… I understand…” Grimm said, his posture deflating again. Whatever the Heart had said, it was definitely not good news.

The Heart gave one last beat before its eyes closed again, and the room dimmed once more. Hilda looked to Grimm expectantly, wondering what had just happened.

Grimm stood still for a few seconds before turning to her again, walking back and picking her up a second time. This time he hugged her tight, rocking her as gently as he could.

“I’m… I’m sorry.” Was all he whispered.

Sorry? What did he mean by sorry? What had the Heart said? Hilda wanted to break free of his embrace to ask him, but… It was just too comforting. 

Not to mention her eyes were starting to get heavy…

The last ast thing she heard before everything went dark was Grimm’s voice, shaky and soft as ever.

 

“I’m so very sorry.”

* * *

 

When Hilda opened her eyes again, she was back in Vruusha’s sanctum, curled up in the pile of leaves as she had been before sleeping.

Why did she have the faintest feeling that Grimm’s hug had been his way of saying goodbye?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just for the record I'm taking some liberties with the exact relationship between the troupe and the Nightmare Heart, so if some things seem a bit eeeehhh that's probably why
> 
> Sources I've read say it controls the troupe, and that Grimm/Nightmare King Grimm is a vessel of the heart, but it's a biiiit wishy-washy as to the specifics of it as well as how exactly it ties into the ritual, so I'm just going off my own understanding+twisting things a bit to provide a chance for a bit more character depth.
> 
> EDIT: I've also come to a better understanding as to the exact purpose the Troupe serves in relation to the kingdoms they visit, and it does kick some stuff I laid out in the shins, at the same time--I think I can work with it. So if you're all like 'but wait they're supposed to go to dead kingdoms' well... You'll See.
> 
> Also, if you've enjoyed the story so far, comments are greatly appreciated! I'd love to know what aspects you like so far and such!


	4. Moving On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hilda begins to make preparations for exploring Reverie, and Vruusha happily explains certain areas. I wonder how Hilda will make use of this information...

* * *

_Dear Lucien,_

_Your insistence on accessing the Undergrowth is a tad concerning, I must admit. True, in my youth I expressed a similar desire to see the very reaches of the forest and take in what it had to offer. But as I grew older, I began to see that every rule has its reason for existing._

_The Heads of the Forest have explicitly stated that only those in the Order of Years may be permitted access to the Undergrowth. It is a sacred location, as you surely must know. We cannot allow everyone who has an inkling of exploration to wander in carelessly._

_Perhaps, if you are so desperate, the Order could consider taking you in as a trainee, and then you can get a sense of responsibility knocked into you._

_With respect,_

_Monroe, Head Researcher of Reverie, District of Scuttling Feet Division_

_P.S. --_

_Have you spoken with Anise recently? I’ve heard she’s had triplets. Squirrels are always so rambunctious when they’re young. If I didn’t know any better, I’d offer to babysit them here in my lab!_

_Please send her my regards._

 

* * *

 

Grimm woke to the crackle of a warm fire--Bright orange, unlike the deep red flames he was so used to dealing with. 

The group had stopped and made camp some few hours earlier, their steeds huddling together near the flames and the troupe nestled as a group nearby. Brumm and Grimm sat against Divine’s side, as they often did, which she did not mind.

Grimm took a moment to glance around, anxiety growing slightly at the faint red glow that emanated a distance from the camp. When he remembered it was merely the wards he had set up to ensure their resting place was safe, however, he relaxed.

“Is something the matter?” 

Brumm, to no-one’s surprise, hadn’t actually slept. He was always the one to stay up and keep watch. Grimm wished he would take better care of himself and actually sleep, but there was nothing he could really do about it. Brumm was rather hard-headed.

“I had a dream…” Grimm replied, turning to look at Brumm. “I spoke to the Grimmchild. She is still alive.”

“Alive? Then shall we be heading back?” 

Grimm’s expression drooped a bit, making Brumm pause. He had assumed Grimm would have a little more energy, finding out the Grimmchild was alive. Why did he seem to reserved?

“No. The Nightmare Heart has spoken. It would waste too much time. We are to follow the trail to the next lit brazier and leave it at that.” Grimm answered after a long silence.

“Mmrm. I see.” Was Brumm’s only response.

Silence passed between the pair, only interrupted by the occasional mumble from Divine as she slept. After a few moments, Grimm leaned over and rested his head on Brumm’s shoulder, looking as if he might fall asleep again.

“I do have a question, sir…” Brumm then said, unable to suppress his thoughts anymore. 

“Ask away.”

“Why were we summoned to Reverie? If the village was any indication, the place was very much alive. It seems pointless for us to go where life still remains, mrrmm.”

To this, Grimm gave a low chuckle, surprising Brumm. What part of that had the troupe master found amusing?

“The acolytes make no mistakes when setting the braziers. If we were called there, then Reverie was no longer living. Perhaps you need to be a bit more perceptive, Brumm. The place reeked of death, as far as I’m concerned.”

 

And with that, Grimm closed his eyes, leaving Brumm to contemplate his mysterious answer.

 

* * *

 

Hilda was quick to push herself up when she rose from her sleep. The pain in her wounds had decreased significantly, thanks to the medicine Vruusha had provided. 

She had quite a bit to focus on today. The dream, for instance, was still fresh in her mind. Her chest ached recalling how Grimm had acted, as well as when she realized they probably wouldn’t be coming back for her.

Well… If they weren’t going to come back, Hilda would just have to go after them. But in order to do that, she needed to find the rest of the flames and gather enough power.

 

“Good morning, Little Ember.” Vruusha’s voice, warm as the sunbeams filtering down on them, reached Hilda’s ears. 

Hilda turned to face Vruusha as she sat up fully. Her head was still cloudy from passing through the dream world, but eventually she was able to blink away the foggy feeling.

“Lady Vruusha. Good morning, I--”

“Oh, please. There is no need to call me ‘lady,’ young one. Just my name is fine. Formalities can be a tad tedious at times.”

Hilda blinked in surprise, not expecting the interruption, but then nodded faintly before continuing to speak.

“I want to thank you for letting me stay here for the night. But now that I am awake, I need to get going.”

Vruusha’s eyes blinked in a strange cascade upon hearing this. She was quiet for several seconds, tilting her head a bit before finally responding.

“Where are you planning on going?”

“To find the remaining flames. They should still be lit, I can use them to gain power and--”

“So you wish to leave Reverie?”

Vruusha’s voice, previously soft and warm, gained an unexpected edge to it when she hissed out the question. Her expression tightened, and she looked down at Hilda like the Grimmchild had just been caught lying to her.

“I… Yes. I plan to.” Hilda admitted. That had been her intention going into this conversation, but… Vruusha’s tone now made her feel ashamed. Why was that? This was not her home.

“Why would you wish to?” Vruusha pressed. “You’ve barely explored Reverie, let alone seen what it has to offer. That shady troupe has left, and it’s no use going after them, off into the dangers of what lie beyond.”

“No, I can… I can do it. If I can gain enough power, I could simply walk through my dreams and--”

“Please, dear…” Vruusha cut in, her voice pleading now. “You still need to rest. I want to show you my home. Will you try to give it more thought? Just for a bit longer?”

Hilda was quiet as she thought on things. True, she should wait until her wounds were fully healed before straining herself. But it was vital she catch up to the troupe. Vruusha had been so hospitable to her, it felt a bit wrong to just up and leave now…

“If I promise to stay a while… Will you let me look for the flames?” She finally asked.

Vruusha let out a noise that could only be interpreted as a mournful sigh. She twisted her head from side to side, eyes avoiding Hilda as she thought. Did she not want to answer?

“I’m not from here, Vruusha.” Hilda insisted. “As wonderful as Reverie might be, I have my own place. I must return to it as soon as I can.”

“Yes, I… I suppose that is true.” Vruusha admitted softly. “Even us Heads of the Forest, we… we have our own sections of Reverie to look after. Very well. I suppose I can accept those terms.”

“Thank you.”

 

Once Vruusha had cleared the area of leaves, she began to tell Hilda about various places around Reverie that she would probably want to explore.

“Our forest is divided into five districts.” She began, nosing around one distant corner of the chamber as she spoke. “Each district is presided by a Head of the Forest, but we all do our part to make sure the whole of the forest is united.”

Finally, with a bit of a tug, she brought out a roll of parchment. Much like Vruusha, it was larger than Hilda could fathom, but the Beast Mother wasted no time rolling a portion out across the wall for Hilda to see.

It was certainly… Something. A simple drawing of an assortment of trees, with different sections of faint color. Drawn on the various colors were images, possibly indicating what was in each section.

“I had the squirrels do the pictures.” Vruusha explained, a faint hint of pride in her voice. “It’s not easy, wielding a writing instrument in your mouth. But… The children do such good work.”

“I suppose so…” Hilda admitted. “But… could you explain what it all means?”

“Oh! Yes, of course. My apologies. Where to start… I suppose we’ll start from the bottom and work up, that makes sense. It’s where we are, after all.”

Vruusha nudged the reddish portion of the map with her nose before straightening up. Hilda couldn’t help but notice that wasn’t technically the bottom, but the Beast Mother has already started talking before she could bring it up.

“This here, where we are, is called the District of Cozy Dens. It’s the lower part of the forest, and where most of the mammals and reptiles make their homes. Things are mostly calm, but we do have skirmishes now and then over territory… I try to keep the peace as much as I can.”

That certainly added up with what Hilda had experienced so far. The lizard attack, the three squirrel children… 

“Going up a level, we have the District of Scuttling Feet. Bugs of all shapes and sizes live here, though recently they’ve been migrating to other levels. My dear sibling Yumo looks after them all. It is a bit dark, I will admit, though…”

“Sibling?” Hilda asked, perking up. 

The concept of siblings was a strange one to Hilda… Though she technically did have several of her own, she had never met any. Part of her wondered what it was like to know them…

“Yes. All of the Heads of the Forest are siblings. It allows us to work together so much better.” Vruusha replied with a nod.

“So they’re all… Reptiles like you, then?”

“The specific kind of reptile we are is a snake. Long, scaly creatures with no legs, but sharp fangs. Normal snakes only have two eyes, though--No horns, either.” Vruusha answered with a bit of a chuckle.

Hm. That was certainly odd. Vruusha’s words pretty much stated that she and her siblings _weren’t_ normal snakes. So aside from snakes, what were they?

“Above that, we have the District of Full Bellies.” Vruusha continued, interrupting Hilda’s thoughts. “My brother Palim runs it. Starting here, you see less living space and more utilities--Merchants, food supplies, all sorts of things. The fruit there is lovely.”

“Wish I could have tried it.” Hilda admitted, sighing. A shame she didn’t need to eat.

“Oh, it’s fine. Reverie has much more to it than pleasures like eating. For instance--The District of Gentle Rain! A place full of beauty, of flowers, of such gorgeous sights! Zinn-Zinn is the guardian of it all, and there are days I envy her…”

“You mentioned her before.” Hilda noted, recalling the water Vruusha had brought the previous evening. “Something about a Sorrow Pool?”

“Yes, yes. While we do get a fair amount of rain to Reverie, Zinn-Zinn supplies her own in the form of the many lakes. Sorrow Pool is the largest.”

Hopefully not the warmest, Hilda couldn’t help but think. That water had definitely been a bit too cold for her liking…

“Last, but certainly not least, is the District of Bright Light! The very canopy of Reverie, looked after by Worok! Sun shines down and warms all who visit. Many birds make their nests here to have the freedom of flight.”

Hilda looked carefully at the top section Vruusha pointed out, tilting her head at the young squirrel’s drawings of birds. She recalled a bit from Soja, who had warned her of birds. They were large creatures with sharp beaks and talons, and could snatch up bugs mid-flight as easily as blinking. 

The drawings the children had done did not quite depict them as terrors of the sky, but… That did little to assure her.

At that point, it seemed that Vruusha was done with her semblance of a tour, and looked expectantly at Hilda for any questions. Figuring it was as good a time as any, the Grimmchild gestured to the bottom of the map.

“What about there? What lies in that dark area?”

Vruusha stared at the section Hilda had indicated, eyes widening slightly before gaining a distant look, as if considering how to answer. When she finally spoke, her tone was one of caution and reverence.

“That would be the Undergrowth, my dear. A place devoid of life, save for fungi and the most deplorable of creatures. No living soul with sense in them goes there, for it is where we bury our dead.”

Ah… a burial ground, then. That explained the white scribbles, then. Bones and fungus did certainly get the point across that is was a dreary place.

“I ask one thing of you, Little Ember.” Vruusha said slowly, now sounding more serious than she ever had. “Wherever in Reverie your quest takes you, you must never set foot in the Undergrowth. It is sacred ground for us forest folk. Only those in the Oracles of Years are permitted.”

Oracles of Years? And just what was that?

But rather than weigh Vruusha down with further questions, Hilda swallowed her inquiry and gave a slow nod. She wasn’t sure where exactly the remaining flames were, but saw no point in wandering in sacred areas foolishly.

“Thank you.” Vruusha replied quietly. 

 

Once Hilda was satisified that she could retain all she had been told, she decided the next step in her quest was to learn how to scramble around at an efficient pace. Having lost use of her wings and lacking actual limbs, she would need to figure out a method of locomotion so she did not have to depend on others.

With Vruusha quietly presiding over her and giving bits of advice now and then, Hilda attempted three main methods.

The first was a rather unflattering series of rolls, where she coiled her form and tumbled head-first towards her goal. Though fast, there was little she could do to control it, and turning end over end left her dizzy after a short time.

Then there was what could only be described as ‘floundering.’ She flopped her whole body forward, picking herself up with her arms and then heaving herself up to do it again. It granted a bit more control, but was painful if done improperly.

Finally, the method she decided to settle on, was simple dragging. She clawed her arms forward and scooched the rest of her body after them, sometimes attempting a small bound if she felt bold enough. It was hardly smooth as silk, but it would have to do when exploring the District of Cozy Dens. She didn’t want to think about what she would do if she had to go to the higher districts just yet. Perhaps she could try climbing walls, but were her claws sharp enough…?

“I’m going now.” She told Vruusha as she made her way to the entrance of the sanctum. “If nothing occupies me by then, I’ll be back before moonrise.”

“Take care, Little Ember.” Vruusha said, giving a respectful nod. “If anyone causes you trouble, tell them that Vruusha’s four eyes are upon you.”

A strange thing to say, but Hilda could understand the true meaning behind them. Perhaps she was lucky to have the protection of one of Reverie’s leaders. It would definitely make things much easier, she thought.

But enough time dwelling on words. Hilda was not as fast as she would have liked to be, so she needed to use her time wisely if she wanted to return before dark.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed past the leafy curtain and into the wilds of Reverie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey so I'M REALLY SORRY THE UPDATE TOOK THUS LONG???
> 
> I hit a bit of a slump, then other things grabbed my attention, THEN I went on a trip and didn't have internet for a whole week!! I'm technically still on the trip, but at least I can upload this now. I finished it while without wifi and all that.
> 
> I'm pasting this on mobile, so if there's any formatting funkiness, that'll be why. There's also supposed to be an image that is the map Vruusha shows Hilda, but that's back at home on my laptop, so I'll add that at a later time, oof
> 
> Anyway, I dunno when the next update will be since I'm still on my trip and have a lot to do. Definitely have started the outline for it and it's when things finally pick up a bit, but trip stuff as well as plans in a discord server that have been going in for months now have kind of got me distracted.
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading this far if you have! If you enjoy the story, please feel free to comment, because it really lets me know you enjoy my stuff and wanna see more. Kudos are great too, but comments just make my day yo, even if it's just a 'dang I really like this!'


	5. The Nymph in Tucked Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? Another chapter, so soon? AND 4K WORDS???
> 
> Consider it a bit of a thing to tide you all over, because HOH BOY. I just got back from my trip and I'm EXHAUSTED. I managed to finish writing this on the plane and did some quick editing afterwards, but I am just about ready to flop down on my bed and pretend the rest of the world doesn't exist.
> 
> But even after that, I have some things to do in a few RP communities I'm in, so those will demand the majority of my attention until they have concluded. Needless to say, my writing muscle will be Very, Very sore afterwards.
> 
> But! Once those things are cleared up, I'll do my best to resume updates. I dunno how regular they'll be, but if you want to check in now and then, find my on waterfall!
> 
> http://grimmchild.waterfall.social
> 
> Pretty lucky url snag, huh? I'll be reblogging Hollow Knight stuff there as well as posting updates about the fic and maybe even art, so if you have a waterfall account, feel free to follow!

_ We guard the bones, we guard the land _

_ We keep secret what you shouldn’t know _

_ Every year, hand in hand _

_ We gather the lost and guide them below _

\---

Oath of the Oracles of Years

 

* * *

 

Hilda certainly was rather wary as she picked her way through the light foliage. She was still quite vulnerable by herself, and after learning that those creatures--the Meaneons--could turn invisible, she found herself constantly looking over her shoulder and perking her ears for any disturbance.

Now that pain didn’t completely wrack her body, she was confident she could move fast enough to escape any hostiles, but she was still so small…

Speaking of her size, it was going to take forever for her to explore a decent chunk of this place, even if she stuck to the well-worn roads. She didn’t really have any right to complain, since she took on the task herself, but it was still very daunting. She would need to find some method of faster transportation, if at all possible.

As she shuffled her way down the path, she took in the various new stimuli that came to her. When traveling with Soja, she had hardly given anything a second glance, as she was too focused on her main task. Now, with a little breathing room, she could see what she had missed.

The leaves all around were various shades of green, some light and a bit blanched from the sun, others so dark they looked black. Small flowers of various sizes and colors blossomed on a few bushes, making Hilda pause to look them over and give them a sniff. Of all the things she had seen in this place so far, flowers were by far her favorite.

Spreading to the edge of the pathways were dark, gnarled roots of the trees that surrounded the area. Hilda tried to look up through the gaps in the leaves and make out how tall they were, but her neck hurt from craning her neck for so long. The trees were probably the only thing around here larger than Vruusha.

Hilda felt a sense of ease envelop her as she took it all in, surprised by how calming the forest was. Even with the dangers of the lizards, the soothing effect eventually diminished the frequency at which she checked over her shoulder. Perhaps Vruusha was right about the forest being marvelous.

 

After shuffling along for what felt like hours, Hilda was surprised to see the lower trunk of a tree come into view, bare of any foliage wrapped around it. Further inspection revealed a slope carved into one of the roots, twisting up and around the trunk before leading to a hollow a fair distance from the ground.

How curious… Hilda couldn’t help but think. I wonder if that’s anyone’s home?

As if to answer her question, before she could continue on her way, a shout erupted from the hollow’s entrance.

“RYE, YOU LAZYBONES, C’MON! WE HAVE AN IMPORTANT DELIVERY TO MAKE!!”

From the hollow appeared a stout bug with a bright blue carapace. Her antennae drooped with worry as she hobbled down the carved path a bit. After a moment, she stopped and looked back to the hollow, fumbling with something hanging at her side.

“Stupid bird, stupid bird…! We’re gonna be late! Monroe will have our heads if we don’t get this to him!”

As she grumbled, she drew out a small cap with some sort of patch on its front, setting it atop her head.

“RYE, I SWEAR TO VRUUSHA, YOU’RE THE ONLY BIRD I KNOW WHO  _ DOESN’T _ WANT TO GET THE WORM!”

With a frustrated groan, she turned to continue down the path, her satchel clunking roughly against her side as she stumbled along the steep roots. She only stopped when she reached the end, about to glance back again but pausing when she caught sight of Hilda.

“Er… Hello, little one… Are you lost? Do you need help finding your mom?”

Hilda, taken aback by the bug’s entrance, did not respond immediately, and merely blinked in confusion. When she managed to get her bearings, however, she quickly shook her head, sitting as straight as she could.

“I, um… I don’t have a parent… I’m not from here.” She admitted. “I was doing some traveling when I came across you.”

“Oh!” The strange bug said, eyebrow raising. “Well, uh… Alright. Sorry, it’s just… Reverie hasn’t had any new arrivals in a long time.”

Huh? You would think that would not be the case, especially with Vruusha’s description of the forest. Then again, considering the reason the Troupe was summoned here… As lively as the place seemed, perhaps there was more to it than met the eye.

“I’m Naya, by the way!” The bug then said, puffing out her chest. “Part of Reverie’s mail system, along with my partner, Rye! Though we won’t be part of it anymore if _SOME_ BIRD KEEPS SLEEPING IN!” She yelled back at the tree.

“Rye’s a bird? I’ve never seen one before.” Hilda said, immediately curious. All she had seen was the drawing by the squirrels, which likely didn’t do the creatures justice. 

“Oh, wow, you really aren’t from here then, are you? Birds are everywhere in Reverie! They transport supplies and bugs, deliver messages and packages, and some even act as sentries in certain areas!”

Wow… So they were more than scary creatures that ate bugs? They must be, if Naya was working alongside one with no fear at all.

**_“RYE. HOW MANY TIMES TO DO I--”_ **

Suddenly, from out of the hollow appeared a large shape, causing Hilda to freeze on the spot. From a distance, she couldn’t make it out entirely, but as it got closer, her unease grew.

It was much larger than either of the two bugs, covered in dense fur--no, wait, feathers, that’s what they were called. Most of the feathers were brown, but a spot on the bird’s chest was a rich scarlet. Its narrow beak clacked a few times and its gnarled talons scraped at the ground as it hopped over to the other two. When it stopped, it twisted its head at a weird angle, peering down at Hilda.

Its eye was dark, but glinted with curiosity. It was just as entranced with her as she was with it.

After a few tense moments of the pair staring at each other, the bird ruffled its feathers and directed its attention to Naya, tweeting.

“We’ll get breakfast on the way over!” Naya insisted, somehow able to understand the noise the bird made. “Now say hello to our guest!”

_ Tweet _ , came Rye’s version of ‘hello’ to Hilda. Hilda had no idea exactly what that translated to, since she didn’t speak bird, but nodded her own greeting in return.

“Um… pardon me for asking…” Hilda then dared to speak up, otherwise the curiosity would eat away at her. “But how is it possible for a bird and a bug to work together? Don’t birds eat bugs… ?”

Naya, surprisingly, didn’t laugh off Hilda’s concern. Instead, she moved closer to Rye and began adjusting something on the bird’s back--a saddle, Hilda realized after a moment. 

“Some do, yeah.” She finally responded. “Eat ‘em for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But those who joined up with the mail system promised not to anymore. Besides, they have fruits as an alternative. Rye here has never actually had a bug before, and he doesn’t plan on starting. Isn’t that right, big boy?”

Rye responded with a light chirp, and Hilda couldn’t help but think it sounded adorable.

“But there are still groups that will try and raid bug settlements to eat them. It’s usually why some bugs insist it’s better to live on your own; makes it harder to be found.”

“Why is that allowed? Surely there’s some law in place to keep everyone from preying on one another? Otherwise, it would descend into madness.”

“The forest has laws, but none like that. The laws it follows are unspoken, formed silently over generations. Never written, but always known to its inhabitants. Besides… why make it illegal for somebody to get what they need to survive?”

Hilda was dumbstruck by Naya’s flat response. Up until now, the mail carrier had seemed very hospitable, but when she replied in this manner, it was like her true colors were being shown. What kind of cold attitude toward life was this?

“H-hey, I’m sorry if that wasn’t what you wanted to hear.” Naya then apologized, becoming her chipper self once more. “It can sound kind of cruel, I guess, if you aren’t used to it. But as peaceful as Reverie seems, there’s a lot more to it than colorful flowers and pretty birdsong.”

As she spoke, she clambered up onto Rye’s back, taking hold of a strap affixed to the saddle so she could have better balance.

“I really have to get going on my job, now. I’d love to talk more and help you out, but the work of a postal bug never ends. If you keep going the way you were headed, though, you’ll find a nice settlement of all sorts of creatures. They should help you with whatever you need.”

“Oh, um… okay. Thank you.”

“OH, SHOOT! I just realized! You didn’t give me your name, did you?”

“It’s Hilda.”

“Well it was nice meeting you, Hilda. See you again sometime!”

With a farewell warble from Rye, the bird and his rider suddenly took off from the ground, stirring up dust around Hilda and sending her tumbling a few feet backward.

She stared up into the air until the flying duo vanished between the trees, then glanced back down at the ground.

She supposed she could understand the logic behind Naya’s words. After all, the ritual was to sustain the Nightmare’s Heart. To do that meant to take in the ebbing life energy of fading lands,

But… It felt different. By the time Grimm and the others arrived to start the ritual, the lands were already on the decline. Even without their involvement, the spark of life would eventualy fade. Why not make use of what was left?

The way things were in Reverie, it almost sounded like a bug-eat-bug world. One could inflict whatever harm they wanted with no punishment, so long as they could claim it was for their survival. An entire bug village lost down the gullet of a bird to soothe its hunger--that was just.

But then there was the fact Reverie seemed very much alive in spite of the summoning of the Troupe. Did that mean they were stealing from a still-living land? After all of the creatures Hilda had met so far, now she wasn’t so sure if she was okay with that.

However, now was not the time to fret about any of that. Stowing her concerns away for the time being, Hilda began to shuffle off in the direction Naya had indicated. Hopefully she would find individuals with a much brighter outlook on life.

 

Sure enough, not long after she resumed her trek, she came across the outskirts of what seemed to be a small town. The ground had a much more defined path, outlined by a few small pebbles, and buildings formed from twigs and leaves dotted the various nooks between the tree roots. Paths similar to the one leading to Naya’s hollow snaked up the trunks, leading to entrances of various sizes.

In what Hilda assumed to be the town square, a small arrangement of bulletin boards had been arranged. The leaves pinned to them were in various stages of dessication, indicating how long they had been left there.

It still seemed to be rather early in the day for the town, as Hilda could only see two other individuals milling about. One was some form of pillbug carefully taking down withered notices from one bulletin board, and the other was a hunched spider unlocking a door to a shop before vanishing inside.

Figuring they were as good as anyone else, Hilda decided to speak to the pillbug.

“Excuse me,” She said modestly as she made her way over to them. “Does this town have a name?”

The bug paused for a moment in their gathering of leaves, glancing at Hilda, then resumed as they spoke.

“Its full name is ‘Tucked Away In The Heart Of Cozy Dens,’ but most just call it Tucked Heart.”

“That’s quite a mouthful of a full name.”

“Well, since Reverie is so big, all the various towns and villages need them. Otherwise, you won’t know if somebody means a town in this district or the other.” They explained, and Hilda supposed that made sense.

“It’s rather early, isn’t it?” She then admitted, glancing about. Even with the faint sunlight filtering through, they were the only forms of life, now that the spider had left.

“A little bit.” The pillbug said with a nod. “But things should be picking up soon. I have to be up to change out the notices, and the spider is Romelly, who runs the general store.”

“Is it alright if I just wait here, then?”

“Dear, you can nap there for all I care. Dozens of bugs and other creatures pass through Tucked Heart over the course of the day, you wouldn’t be the first to have to wait a bit.”

Hilda’s face flushed with embarrassment, but the pillbug didn’t seem to notice or care. Once they had pinned up the rest of their fresh leaves, they bid her a good day and scuttled off.

Not sure how long she would have to wait, Hilda decided to browse the board while time passed.

 

_ Food, supplies, and more! Get them at the general store! - Romelly _

_ Bagworms needed for construction of temporary snail shells! Go to the Tall Pines, ask for Merida! _

_ Babysitter wanted for the dates XX/XX and XX/XX. Come see me in my hollow for more details. - Anise _

_ Want to serve Reverie in the best way you can? Join the postal service! Fly all over the forest and meet amazing people, and bond forever with a bird or bug to help strengthen the ties between our kinds. Visit your local post office today! _

**_ATTENTION:_ ** _  
_ _ S _ _ ightings of lizards have increased dramatically in the past week. Bugs, do not leave your settlements alone, and try to have mammalian escorts. We are working to resolve this issue. - Reverie Defense Watch, District of Cozy Dens Division _

 

Wow… so this board was a means of communication, then. To request help for jobs and advertise services, as well as let people know about certain dangers. Very useful, actually!

Hilda had to lean up against the board to read some leaves that were higher up, but once she had scoured every last inch of it, she began to look around for something else to pass the time.

Surely it wouldn’t hurt to check out the general store… ?

But as Hilda began to shuffle her way over, a voice pierced the air and made her stop.

_ “YO! HILDY!” _

Almost instantly, Hilda was swarmed by three brown furry figures, who chittered in excitement when they saw her.

“Hildy, Hildy!” 

“How you doin’?”

It was the squirrels she had met before entering Vruusha’s sanctum. Did they live here? Apparently so, since a new voice called from further up the trunk of a tree.

“Is that your friend you told me about? Well, be careful not to step on her! And be back before lunch!”

“Okay, mom!” Quinn called in response, now stepping back to give Hilda some breathing room.

“A pleasure to see you all again.” Hilda managed, a bit dizzy from being swarmed. “But, um… what was that you called me?”

“Huh? You mean Hildy? It’s a nickname, duh!”

“Quip! She doesn’t know everything! She won’t know what a nickname is!”

“Actually,” Hilda cut in, doing her best to hold back a grimace.  “I do know what a nickname is. I’ve just… never been called one before.”

“Never been called a nickname! What, do you need a crash course in friendship or something?” Quark spat, as if they couldn’t believe their ears. Hilda decided to not bring up she didn’t have a name, period, before traveling with Soja.

“N-no, I’m fine, but… You live here, right? Could you perhaps show me around?”

The three siblings exchanged looks, whiskers and noses twitching as if communicating in some unheard fashion.

When they looked back to Hilda, their eyes were bright and full of joy.

“Of course we can!” Quinn chirped, tail flicking around with her emotions. “Tucked Heart is pretty small, but there’s still a lot to see!”

 

Thus began the tour led by the three squirrels. So Hilda wouldn’t have to shuffle after them, Quark took her up on their back as they followed their siblings.

Much like Quinn had insisted, the town of Tucked Heart had more to it than one would assume at a glance. As the place became more lively, it was revealed many more homes occupied the space, but were camouflaged well in the bushes and tree trunks.

They showed her a few shops such as a cozy boutique and a quiet bookstore, as well as introduced her to a few of the townsfolk. Admittedly, Hilda didn’t do the best at remembering their names, but they all seemed like a kindly sort.

Most of the town’s population were bugs, but the owner of the bookstore was a mammal the squirrels identified as a ‘chipmunk.’

“They’re kinda like us squirrels, I guess.” Quinn admitted. “But they don’t have tails like us, and they stay small!”

“Their stripes sure are pretty, though.” Quip said.

Finally, the squirrels stopped by a rather large shop, and started to wind down a bit from their tour. They explained to Hilda that they had a chore to do at this shop, so it would be the last place they visit.

“Mister Viiiiiiiivi!” Quinn cried as she barreled in, her siblings close behind.

A grunt came from the other side of the shop’s counter, and a shape just out of reach of the doorway’s light shifted.

Hilda couldn’t help but feel a faint sense of unease as they entered the store. Unlike the other buildings in Tucked Heart, it was carved out of a rocky formation. It kind of reminded her of the cave where she and Soja had…

“Whaddya want, brats.” The gruff voice that barked at the group snapped Hilda out of her spiral, and she was honestly glad, even when she laid eyes on the shopkeep.

A pair of beady black eyes set on a small furry head squinted out from the darkness, and when the figure shifted, Hilda could make out that its body was a mass of fur. On its sides were two folded flaps--wings?--and two large ears swiveled to face the children.

“Momma wanted to make an order! See, uh, our old fungi lantern got broken and--”

“No doubt you three are the ones who broke it.” Vivi spat, but moved to get to work.

To Hilda’s surprise, the mass of fur shifted so it could clamber over the counter, small hook-like fingers at the folds of its wings serving as a way for it to get a grip.

“What kind of animal is he?” She dared to whisper to Quark, who gave a noise of unease in return.

“A bat.” They finally answered. “He’s real old, and a big grump. Lots of bats eat either fruit or bugs, but… he’s never revealed which he eats. But he crafts a lot of useful supplies. Not a big daytime person, though.”

“What kinda light was this, ambient or direct?” Vivi asked as he made his way to the other side of the room. He shuffled about in a few containers, bringing out a glass sphere.

“Ambient! It’s for our living room!” Quinn said with a nod.

“Plain light or colored?”

“Plain.”

Vivi crawled back over the counter and fumbled with a few more things out of sight. He opened a creaky chest and stowed the sphere inside, then turned back to the squirrels.

“It’ll be ready in three days. Spores should be fully grown by then, be sure to have payment.”

“Alrighty! Thanks, Vivi!”

Quark and Quip were ready to turn around and leave, but hesitated when they saw their sister still standing by the counter. Vivi also seemed puzzled by her behavior, and leered down at her.

“What is it?” He then hissed.

“I know you have them.” Quinn said firmly. “Let me see them!”

“No.” Vivi shot back almost instantly. “The last thing I need is a youngling jabbing her eye out.”

“OH, COME ON!” Quinn squeaked, tail puffing up in anger. “I’ve been saving up forever, I can almost afford one! I’ll be super-duper careful, too! “

“I only give my thorns to  _ responsible _ individuals. Like him.”

Vivi then pointed in the direction of the door, making the others turn their heads in surprise.

Standing just past the doorway, somehow having entered without a sound, was a dragonfly nymph. From the looks of things, he was only a molt away from growing his wings, and he held a refined posture.

“Greetings, Lucien.” Vivi said in a low tone. “Finally make your decision?”

“I have.” The nymph said with a nod, striding past the children and up to the counter. “The rose thorn, please.”

He drew out a pouch that clinked when he set it on the counter’s surface. Vivi glanced at it and the children in turn, then scoffed and backed away, vanishing into a door that had been initially hidden by his bulk.

“This place is getting crowded now… come on, Quinn, let’s go.” Quip urged, making his way to the door. 

Quinn gave a withering glare to the door Vivi had vanished behind, then turned it on Lucien for a moment before following her brother.

Quark was about to follow their siblings when Lucien’s voice stopped them.

“Child of the flames. I did not think we would meet again.”

At this, Hilda was dumbstruck, and stared at Lucien for a moment. They had met before? But he didn’t seem the least bit familiar to her…

“My sister, Soja, was your bearer, was she not? I apologize for not taking the duty on myself, even though I was the summoner.”

Now it hit her. There were, in fact, two individuals at the summons. A dragonfly and a young nymph, the dragonfly being Soja. So the nymph must have been…

But when Hilda finally locked eyes with Lucien, a strange shudder went through her body. Why did she get the feeling he was staring right into the depths of her soul?

“When I had heard what had happened… Well, my heart broke.” He admitted. “But perhaps there is still a glimmer of hope. Will you be doing your best to complete the ritual?”

Unable to find any words because of Lucien’s piercing stare, all Hilda could manage in return was a stiff nod. 

“Good, good. You’d better hurry along with your friends, then.”

And then Quark walked away, not even glancing at Hilda as she continued to stare at Lucien. The nymph had already turned away to resume business with Vivi, but Hilda couldn’t shake the feeling that he was somehow still probing the depths of her very being.

“Hey, you okay, Hilda?”

Quip’s voice brought her back to reality, and she shook her head a bit to clear it before addressing the siblings.

“Y-Yes, I… Sorry. I’m not sure how to explain my behavior there.”

“Do you need to take a break? It’s almost lunchtime, and mom makes really good food! Let’s take you to our house!”

Refusing to hear any objection from Hilda, the squirrels then began to scamper off towards the tree where their home was. 

Hilda would have to figure out how to explain that she didn’t need to eat, but for the time being she was still agitated by Lucien.

 

Just who was he, really… ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *points at Lucien* THERE HE IS MY FUKCING SON!!!!
> 
> oh yeah and i guess a few other new characters are there too


	6. Lucien

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A small interlude where we learn a little about a certain dragonfly nymph...

_ Dragonflies are not a common insect to be found in Reverie. This is because of the lack of large bodies of water to be found in all of the forest. The only place to find such things, which are vital to Dragonflies’ growth, is in the District of Gentle Rain, where Zinn-Zinn resides. _

_ Because Zinn-Zinn watches over the lakes, she subsequently watches over the young Dragonflies as they grow. Only a handful have been born in the past few years, and even fewer are currently fully-grown. Despite this, Zinn-Zinn sees each and every Dragonfly as her own child. _

_ I happen to be lucky enough to be acquainted with one of the younger ones, a nice young nymph by the name of Lucien. He’s a rather quiet and steady sort, but I can sense behind his steadfast disposition is a strong drive. Yes, whatever he puts his mind to, he will certainly make sure he accomplishes it. _

_ He’ll need a few more molts before he’s fully grown, but he’s already walking a ways away from the water. I’ve only seen him as far as the District of Full Bellies, but I’m sure soon enough he’ll be down here and perhaps even lower. _

___ _

__ \-- Monroe, Head Researcher of Reverie, District of Scuttling Feet Division _ _

 

* * *

 

Gentle streams of water trickled down here and there through the grove. A brilliant blue-green light filled the entire area, creating a somewhat eerie, yet still enchanting, look.

There were very few bugs around, even on the well-worn paths between the thick vines covered with various multicolored flowers. This was known as a place of tranquility, of sacred silence.

This was the District of Gentle Rain.

Natural formations through the large tree branches created divots and holes where water could pool. No matter how large, each body glowed with the same blue-green light and was clear as can be, indicating its purity.

Some pools formed cascades, with trickles from larger collections pouring into smaller ones which poured into even smaller ones, and so on.

Running water was just part of the ambience.

The largest pool was in the middle of it all, the primary source of all the light. Tiny rivers snaked away from its edges, vanishing deep into the rest of Reverie, but otherwise the water’s surface remained undisturbed.

Though normally deserted, one figure was sitting at the edge of the pool, letting his lower legs hang and settle in the water. A crimson thorn rest on his lap, which he was rubbing down with a soaked leaf.

After a moment to get at a particularly rough spot, he paused and carefully tilted it up a bit. He had only bought it an hour ago, but was already treating it like it was his most prized possession.

Setting it back down on his lap, he gave a contented sigh and closed his eyes, letting the calm energy seep into him. He loved this place. He had grown up in its waters, and he could never stray far from it for too long.

At one with the stillness in the air, he opened his mouth, and began to sing.

 

_ Take a drink of sorrow, _

_ Take a drink of pain, _

_ The essence of remembrance, _

_ The feeling of restraint, _

_ Though hope is small and fleeting, _

_ Don’t regard in vain, _

_ The Raincaller is crying, _

_ Because she feels the same... _

 

His voice, light and practices, filled the air. The faint breeze that sifted through seemed to slow and the flowers perked, almost as if listening. 

Truly, his voice was magnificent. If anyone were listening, they could tell he was well-practiced. And somebody was listening. 

As he took a breath and began to sing the next verse, another voice joined him.

 

_ Sleep until tomorrow, _

_ Sleep until today, _

_ As softly as a whisper, _

_ Find the dreams you crave, _

_ Hold onto them tightly, _

_ Don’t let them slip away, _

_ The Raincaller is crying, _

_ ‘Cause everything’s okay… _

 

From a hollow set a short distance above the pool, a figure began to slink out. It was very, very large, almost dwarfing the pool itself, and seemed to have no end to length as it pulled more and more of its body from the opening.

The figure had rich blue skin with various darker markings swept down its back. Two small horns extended from its skull, one above its eyes and the other further up on its skull. Long, floppy ears (or were they fins?) hung loose by the side of its tapered head. 

Its eight eyes were closed tightly, and some sort of liquid was pouring from them. Closer inspection would reveal it to be the same water the sat in the pool, and as the tears dropped, they landed with quiet splashes into the depths below.

The figure hung over the water, now extended enough to stretch over it and hover by the original singer. Though its eyes were closed, it gave the visitor a gentle nuzzle as if it could see him perfectly clear.

 

“As brilliant as always, my son.” She finally spoke, her voice sounding airy. True to form, her voice sounded as if she were in the middle of crying, but her demeanor did not indicate any distress.

“Mother,” Lucien said with a nod. “I am glad to see you well.”

“As am I. I trust you were able to get your thorn with no trouble?”

“No.” He answered, now looking back down at the weapon on his lap. “Vivi handed it over without trouble.”

“Good, good…” She said with a gentle nod, more tears spilling down her cheeks. “You’re… You’re growing up very fast, Lucien. It wasn’t long ago you were still a tiny nymph just squirming about the pool here.”

“I’m still technically a nymph.” He reminded her, looking away sheepishly. He may have been mature for his age, but he was only just about to become an adult.

“But you’ll be a full dragonfly soon.” She reminded him. “Just like… Like Soja…”

As soon as she remembered Lucien’s sister, her tears increased in intensity, now seeming more like small waterfalls than simple trickles.

 

“Soja may have been capable, but… She still died, Lucien. I don’t want to lose you, too.”

“You won’t.” He insisted. “I will do you proud and continue what Soja started. Just… Shed tears for me. You know I haven’t the time. As much as I loved Soja, I simply cannot carry the grief for too long.”

“That is my job.” Zinn-Zinn sighed, nodding gently. “And I will do so.”

Lucien gave his own nod, then stood up, sheathing the thorn into the belt on his waist.

“Your wings are definitely going to be ready soon.” Zinn-Zinn then commented, sounding like she wasn’t entirely ready to stop talking just yet.

“Hopefully. I will need them moving forward.”

At this, Zinn-Zinn made an odd sound, and her head dipped slightly. Lucien recognized that noise and turned to look at her, frowning.

“Lucien… Are you sure you want to do this? What happened to Soja… What if it was a sign? What if they knew, and… Tried to stop her?”

Lucien shook his head firmly. He was not going to give in to such troublesome thoughts.

“The world needs to keep moving. It is only natural. I can’t allow this stillness to continue.”

“But the stagnation is better than the alternative… You know that.”

 

Lucien then narrowed his eyes, immediately angered by these words. He craned his neck so he could look up at Zinn-Zinn, who flinched back a little.

“Is it really? To persist when the world demands you stop? We are controlled by a selfish tyrant. Thousands unknowingly live lives in stagnation. Hundreds have never actually known the taste of living air. I know the answer lies in the Undergrowth. With the help of the Grimmchild, I may yet find it. But she is not ready herself. Thus, I must bide my time and do my best to make things easier for her.” He said, clenching his fists as he spoke.

Zinn-Zinn gave a shaky breath, her tears flowing even faster now. When she finally had the courage to speak, her voice trembled like a leaf in the wind.

“Lucien... Son… If you go down this path… You may cause more pain than intended. Is it truly worth it? To snap them all out of their ignorance?”

It was a long time before Lucien responded, thinking over his words carefully. He was adamant that he go forward with his goal in mind. Not even Zinn-Zinn, who he saw as a mother, could stop him.

He then turned to walk away, throwing his last response coldly over his shoulder.

 

“Yes. Because this is not natural. I must set things right…. Even if it means countless will die.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kind of on the short side but I was itching to write it so... Interlude! Why not!
> 
> So we're learning more about Lucien and we've now met the second Head of Reverie! Oh boy!


	7. The First Flame

_ Fire is a very dangerous thing in the land of Reverie. As our entire world is made of flammable material, the Heads of Reverie have elected to ban it in all its forms. Even with careful eyes kept on a blaze, there’s always the chance a stray spark could light, and then everything would be lost… _

_ To compensate for this, we have resorted to growing special breeds of fungus. Formerly of a species that would glow only faintly, with careful management we have produced a strain that can light up even the dimmest of rooms.  _

_ First, one takes a glass sphere of any size and coats the inside with a special oil. This oil provides the spores with the initial nutrients they need. They then scatter the spores inside the sphere and store it in a dark, moist place. The fungus itself only takes a few days to grow to its full potency, but does need re-application of nutrients and moisture every month or so. _

_ Though not a process that takes a lot of skill, the glass spheres required aren’t very easy to come by, so most residents turn to traders or specialists if their need for the light is great enough. Many bugs don’t need the light with their superior senses, so most who use this method are diurnal mammals. _

_ Speaking of which, I need to actually tend to mine--I may be a bug, but my eyes have been failing me as of late-- _

_ (The passage ends here with a small inkblot, implying the writer decided to get up and go do as they said in a hurry. The handwriting is consistent with previous entries written by Monroe.) _

 

* * *

 

 

“And then--Pow! We socked that Geckhecko right in the snout with the chestnut! It ran away wailing like a little baby, hahaha!”

Hilda wasn’t exactly listening to Quinn’s story, but made a noise to make it seem like she was. She was still mulling over her meeting with Lucien.

The group of children had assembled in the hollow that made up the squirrels’ home, having pieces of fruit and various nuts for lunch. Hilda excused herself from eating, earning a concerned look from the triplets’ mother, and sat next to the others, merely waiting for them to finish.

“You really should stop jumping straight to hostilities.” Anise scolded from her position on the other side of the room. “That young man was just asking for directions! Not every lizard is a carnivore.”

“Whatever.” Quinn scoffed. “A lizard’s a lizard! Gotta protect our buggy friends!”

She then swept Hilda up in a hug, causing the Grimmchild to squeak in surprise. The squirrel may have been a child, but her grip was not to be underestimated.

“Mmm, can’t protect them if you accidentally strangle them.” Quark mumbled, managing to grab Hilda and carefully slip her out of Quinn’s grasp. Hilda gave a grateful sigh as she was set back down on the ground.

“So, Hilda, how did your time with Vruusha go?” Anise asked, now walking over to the children. She was definitely the motherly sort, being gentle and kind when introduced to the Grimmchild. Hilda could feel the same sense of protection she had felt in Vruusha’s sanctum, and had no problem answering her.

“It was nice. Vruusha was very hospitable. At least, mostly.”

“Mostly?”

Hilda tilted her head, frowning. She recalled the exchange she had with the Beast Mother not too long before leaving the sanctum. Though she had been given permission to try and finish her quest, Vruusha’s resistance was still odd to her.

“I get the feeling she doesn’t want me to leave Reverie. But… I want to. I need to find the remaining flames, then I can leave and find the troupe.” She explained slowly.

Anise gave a small sigh, looking like she wanted to say something, but glanced warily towards her children. Fortunately for her, they had the courage to speak when she dared not to.

“Wait, she didn’t tell you? Hilda, nobody’s been allowed to leave Reverie for a _ long _ time!” Quip spoke up.

“What? Why? That just seems to cause more problems than it solves.”

Anise sighed again, now busying herself with dusting a few things around the room with her tail. As she worked, she spoke with a gentle tone, but Hilda could tell there was frustration behind it as well.

“It was put in place when I was just a little squirrel myself, but it’s true. Nobody is allowed outside of Reverie for their safety. Apparently, something has happened to the world beyond the trees, making travel dangerous. Anyone who comes in from the outside is either not allowed to leave or urged to go as quickly as possible.”

“That’s why new people are so few and far between.” Quinn concluded. “And whatever that troupe was doing, it probably really agitated Vruusha.”

Hilda sighed, not sure what to make of this information. She had only been formed when the troupe was already settled in Reverie, so she couldn’t confirm or deny it being dangerous past its borders. But if it was, it was just another obstacle between her and the troupe.

“Speaking of which…” Quark said softly. “You seem to speak very highly of this troupe, Hilda. Can you tell us what they’re like?”

Not surprisingly, Hilda was at a bit of a loss for words. What were they like? Hilda actually hadn’t spent much time with them, since she was swept away with Soja rather quickly. The only one she actually really spoke to was Grimm, but…

“The three main members are Brumm, Divine, and the troupe master, Grimm.” She recalled, speaking slowly. This information was all pre-established at her forming, but she had never really given it much thought until now.

“Divine is… Different, even for them. She often speaks to herself and is more interested in shiny things. It’s not really clear what her purpose within the troupe is.

“Then there’s Brumm. He’s a bit more level-headed than the others. Few rarely speak against Grimm, but when Brumm does, Grimm tends to listen.”

The squirrels nodded like they understood this, but Hilda could tell they were just getting more confused. You really had to meet the troupe to understand what Hilda met, but that wasn’t exactly possible now…

“And Grimm’s the leader,” she continued. “He guides the troupe to different locations, and creates Grimmchildren for the ritual.”

“So he’s your dad, then?” Quinn asked.

“Dad? What do you mean?” 

“Well, you gotta have parents. If Grimm’s the one who made you, he’s your dad!”

“But… No, that’s not… He’s not my…”

Hilda seemed to lose her voice, slowly becoming more and more befuddled by Quinn’s implication. Grimm wasn’t her dad. All he did was create her, that didn’t mean he… 

But he still cared about the Grimmchildren, that much was obvious. Was that really enough?

“Don’t trouble her with such questions, Quinn.” Anise scolded, moving closer to the group. “Bugs don’t have families like ours. Some parents leave their eggs and that’s that. It’s really not a big deal if she doesn’t have parents.”

Was it, really? It wasn’t a big deal?

But as she thought, Hilda didn’t become any less confused. She needed a guide and protector when looking for the flames, much like a child needed a parent to raise them. Even now, when she knew what she had to do and was determined to do it… She felt lost and alone. 

And why did Grimm leaving hurt so much? She hadn’t acknowledged it since waking up from her dream, but the ache of him apologizing had not diminished at all. 

She was about to try and finish the conversation, when--

“Huh?”

Hilda’s head snapped up, and her eyes lost focus on what was around her. She sat there, transfixed, as her surroundings went dark. Eventually, all she could see was pitch black. Pitch black, and a faint red light in the distance. Though she wasn’t anywhere near it, she could feel its familiar warmth calling to her.

It was one of the ritual flames.

She could see it! She didn’t know exactly where, but it was there! All she needed to do was get to it! Then she’d be one step closer to going after the troupe.

She blinked furiously as light began to return to her sight, revealing the squirrel family looking at her with concern. Though she could no longer see the flame, a feeling in her was constantly struggling to move towards it, much like some sort of magnet.

“Hilda…? Are you okay? You spaced out there for a minute.” Quip said.

“Y-Yes, I’m… I’m fine.” Hilda assured him. “Great, even. I… I know where the first flame is. Its general direction, at least.”

“Hey, that’s great! Maybe we can help you go get it!” Quinn said with a big smile. “Where is it, where is it?”

Hilda looked in the direction the sensation was pulling her, before pointing a claw out. 

“Off in that direction. I don’t know how far, but it’s level with us, so probably in another tree somewhere.”

Upon hearing this, the children’s ears twitched, and they all looked at their mother nervously. Anise’s brow furrowed before she shook her head at the triplets, participating in another form of silent conversation.

“Hilda, that direction…” Anise finally spoke, her tone slow and careful. “That leads to the heart of lizard territory. I won’t allow my children there, and it would be far too dangerous for you.”

 

* * *

“Over there will be fine, thank you.” Grimm said as he instructed the Grimmkin. With their quick work, the camp would be set up soon. How lucky they were to arrive so quickly. 

This place was definitely more fitting for their task than Reverie seemed. Cold wind swept through the desolate area, kicking up clouds of dirt and dust around them. Only a few buildings stood, barely worthy of being called a ‘town,’ and the lights inside were kept dim.

The arrival of the troupe had definitely caught the attention of the locals. Grimm noted a door open a crack, only to slam shut with a gasp when he tried to see who was peeking out.

Hopefully they would let the troupe set up without much trouble. If this town was anything to go on, the world was far past ready for the ritual.

Grimm allowed himself a sigh as he remembered the Grimmchild they had to abandon. How he would have loved to go back and find her… But they needed to keep moving on. Such was the way of the troupe.

“And who might you all be?” A voice sounded, making Grimm turn his head.

A bug, hunched over and definitely looking worse for wear, approached the troupe leader with caution. When it was apparent Grimm was not an immediate threat, he relaxed, but only slightly.

“Greetings. We are known as the Grimm Troupe. I am, of course, Grimm. And who do I owe the pleasure to?” 

Grimm gave a flourish as he bowed, not one to pass up the opportunity for theatrics. His cloak whipped about in the wind, making his gesture all the more intricate.

“Names aren’t often necessary around here.” The other bug spoke. “But most refer to me as ‘Elderbug.’ Why are you here? This is hardly the place for a circus.”

“Oh, but this is no ordinary performance, sir.” Grimm said with a chuckle. He seemed relaxed, but only because at this point it was all routine. Answer the questions of the curious, try not to scare them, focus on continuing their work. It was the same every time.

“Might I ask, who here was the one to light the brazier? We answer the flame’s call, after all.”

Elderbug made a noise of displeasure, then seemed confused, making Grimm tilt his head in curiosity. Did he not know who the summoner was?

“I’ve never heard anything about a brazier. If there is one, it’s not around here. But… Perhaps  _ they _ would know…”

Elderbug mumbled the last bit more to himself, but it still caught Grimm’s attention.

“‘They?’”

“There is one who’s made a bit of a name for themself, wandering around and getting into things normal bugs would have the sense not to approach. Made peace with the mantises, explored the crystal peaks, things like that. Why, I’d have half a mind to bet every last Geo I have on them being involved with this somehow.”

“Is that so?” Grimm said thoughtfully, putting a hand to his chin. If such an explorer was the summoner, perhaps there wouldn’t be another accident…

“Ah, there they are now.” Elderbug commented, looking past Grimm.

Grimm turned to the west, where Elderbug was indicating, and paused. This explorer was certainly not what he had expected.

A short bug with a simple cloak, their white mask sporting two large eye holes and curved horns, stood before the other two. In their hand, they gripped a shimmering nail. Though they said nothing, Grimm could smell the familiar ashes that accumulated in the ever-so-important brazier. This little bug was indeed the one who had lit the flame.

“So, it was you who called us. Well met, my friend. Well met. I am Grimm, master of this troupe…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is kind of short as well, but I hope it suffices! I'll definitely try adding more bulk to the next one, because there will be. A lot more action.
> 
> But hey, we get a little context for the timeframe of this story. And a cameo from Ghost! No idea if I'll do any other small scenes like this moving on, but we'll just have to see. Writing be like that.
> 
> Keep up with my happenings at these places!  
> http://shrewd-possessor.tumblr.com  
> http://grimmchild.waterfall.social
> 
> And as always, while kudos are good, please leave a comment if you have some thoughts or just wanna say something! They're very much appreciated and help me get motivated to write more!!
> 
> I'm also considering looking for a beta reader! If you want to help proofread the fic for spelling errors and missed details, then maybe contact me on tumblr? You'd get sneak previews at fic plans and all that!
> 
> EDIT: OH MY GOODNESS I FORGOT TO SHARE THIS EVEN THOUGH I MADE IT IN PREPARATION FOR THIS CHAPTER.
> 
> I made a playlist for Lost in Reverie over on Youtube!! The songs in it inspire certain parts of the story or specific characters, so take a listen to get the vibe! Maybe you'll get an inkling of what's truly going on here...
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5h1wKP3nMedtH1gqB4PH9KVGQSa2ZTOb
> 
> \---
> 
> NOV 18 2019:  
> Hey, I'm sorry the next chapter is taking so long. My laptop broke a couple weeks ago, and I'm waiting for a replacement. I still have access to my doc and outline, it being on Google Drive, but I would prefer to work on an actual keyboard rather than my iPad. Also I'm in a full-swing fixation for Luigi's Mansion, so I miiiight work on stuff relevant to that instead for a while. Sorry about that, but I thank you for being patient! Next update will definitely be long to make up for it, but I don't know how much of a wait it'll be.


End file.
